This baked matcha cheesecake has an Oreo crust, a rich and creamy matcha filling, and that deep bitter-sweet flavour only real matcha can give. Matcha and cheesecake are two things I love, so let me share this recipe that combines them both. Matcha cheesecake has the perfect balance of deep bitterness of the matcha and creamy richness of the cheese. This is a great example of ‘Wayo-setchu (和洋折衷)’, which means blending Japanese and Western cultures.
Yes! This is a collaboration between you and me:)
Rich Matcha Cheesecake
Total Time: About 4 hours (including 3 hours chilling time — overnight for best results)
Difficulty: Intermediate
Yield: One 20cm × 14cm x 4cm rectangular pan (I use this rectangular pan — the one you can see in the photos.)
Ingredients
The Base (Crust)
•90g Chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling (e.g., Oreos)
•15g Unsalted butter
The Filling
•200g Cream cheese
•80g Sugar
•1 egg
•200ml Heavy cream
•2–3 tbsp Matcha powder* (adjust to your preference)
•3 tbsp Cake flour (low-protein flour)
*Culinary Grade or Ceremonial Grade Matcha?
Either grade works fine — if you already have matcha at home, use it. If you’re buying matcha specifically for this recipe, I’d recommend culinary grade. It gives a strong, genuine matcha flavour and is much more cost-effective than ceremonial grade.
Preparation
•Bring the cream cheese, egg, and heavy cream to room temperature.
•Line your baking pan with parchment paper.
•Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F).
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust Place the cookies in a plastic bag and crush them into fine crumbs. Mix in the melted butter in the bag. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan using the back of a spoon.
- Make the Matcha Mixture Place 4 tbsp of the heavy cream in a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave at 600W for 10 seconds. Sift the matcha powder into the warm cream and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the remaining heavy cream, mixing well after each addition.
Tip: Make sure to sift the matcha powder using a fine-mesh strainer to prevent any lumps.
- Prepare the Cheese Base In a separate bowl, cream the cream cheese with a whisk until smooth. Add the sugar and mix until smooth and no longer grainy.
- Add the Egg Add the egg and whisk until the batter is uniform and well combined.
- Combine Flour and Matcha Mixture Sift in the cake flour and mix until no dry flour remains. Then, add in the matcha mixture and stir gently until smooth.
- Bake in a Water Bath (Bain-Marie) Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place a thin kitchen towel on a baking tray, set the cake pan on top, and place it in the preheated oven. Pour hot water into the baking tray until it comes 1-2cm up the sides of the cake pan.
Tip: To keep the matcha a vibrant green, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the pan after 15–20 minutes of baking (once the surface has set). This prevents the top from browning.
•Baking time: 35–45 minutes.
•The Jiggle Test: Check the cake after 30 minutes of baking. If the center ripples like liquid when shaken, bake for another 5 minutes and check again. The center should still jiggle like pudding (or jelly) when shaken gently. It will firm up as it cools.
- Cool and Mature Allow the cake to cool in the pan. Once it reaches room temperature, cover the entire pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Chill for at least 3 hours. For the best “rich” texture, let it rest in the fridge for a full 24 hours.
Just before serving, dust the top with matcha powder using a fine-mesh strainer for a beautiful, fresh finish.
Give it a little “makeup” to make our matcha cheesecake look pretty;)
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